The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-01-14
NERVOUS hchOeS.
They Could Face the Music Of Battle, Bu.
OuaIle<l In n Deutist.s Chair.

They Could Face the Music of Battle, But
Quailed In n Dentists Chair.
Having occasion to visit dentist the
other day 1 asked him if was the most
nervous man he ever had in his chair.
"Bless You, no." replied the tooth
tinker. "You are only about the aver
age patient and it would surprise YOU
to see how some Of the big men act
when they come here to get their teeth
fixed. General Sheridan, for example,
is one of the worst men in dentists
chair you ever saw. and General Logan
is even worse than he. Why, Logan
is as tender as baby, and will shrink
at the slightest touch on his nerves,
while suppose there were never two
Drawer men in battle than they. GEN
eral Sherman, too. is about as bad. and
acts as if he were going to have fit
whenever the drill is put into his teeth.
He jumps and grunts and groans. and
takes on worse than if he were having
his leg cut of.
General Burnside, on the contrary,
was one of the most patient and endur-
ing men ever saw. l have had him
in my chair number of times and have
filled Il lot of his teeth. He would sit
quietly without making moan or say
ing Il word from the time he took his
seat until the job was finished. He al
ways seemed TO be grateful that had
not caused him any more pain. and
when would ask him, as l did some
times. Does that hurt YOU. general?'
he would reply. %. no. not much; 90
on and let's get done with it. the sooner
the job is over the better"
''Andrew Johnson. when he was
Vice-President and when he was in the
Senate, came to my office several times.
and was a very good patient. taking
things philosophicaliy and making me
very little trouble. l once filled four
teeth for him at IL sitting. and every one
of them was in good condition. The job
lasted nearly five hours and must have
hurt him dreadfully, but he never
WINGED. and did not seem to have any
nerves at all.
"Old Zach. Chandler was another
good patient. He would sit i'm the chair
almost motiOnless. and would let me
drill away at his teeth without any re-
or show of pain. But one
time. when undertook to draw tooth
for him. thought the old man would
go crazy. 1t was tough old grinder,
and had been troubling him good
deal, being liberated around the roots.
got good hold with the nippers, and
the first time l nearly lifted him out of
the chair. But it did not come. took
hold again. and lifted him the >sme as
before. 1 saw that his face was quite |
pale. and asked him if he did not want
to rest. He said: No. / would like to
have it out ut once But as the opera
ton was evidently SO painful, and as he
seemed to keep growing paler, 1 sug-
gested that he had better take ether.
He declined. saying that he never took
an anasthetic in his life. and never
would. Turning around sharply. he
told me to go on and have it over with
out further delay. I got hold again
and gave jerk that drew the tooth |
from his head. He lay back in the
chair entirely exhausted and closed his /
eyes. / thought for moment that he
would faint. and brought him glass |
Of water. asking if it hurt him much. |
Looking up to me, he said: Yes, it |
hurt like fury
II find almost without exception that |
military and naval men are great cow
,rds in dentists chair; the Drawer
hey are in battle the more nervous
hey seem to be when they come to get |
heir teeth fixed.
II think about the worst patient l |
ever had was an officer of the army,
on General Towards staff. |
He was Il very gallant officer during
he war, was shot all to pieces. and
believe has since died from the wounds |
lie received in battle. At the time he |
.ame to me he was full of lead, and |
,arried the scars he received in battle. |
But l never in all my life had so ner-
,ous and excitable man in my chair. |
Every time made move toward him
ne would shrink. and once when / |
ouched the nerve he shed genuine tears
md begged me. like child would beg |
lis mother, not to hurt him so again."
-WashinqtOn Cor. CHICAGO Ners